Will the ICC hold firm on US cricket dispute?

Recent developments behind the scenes in American cricket are making many wonder if the International Cricket Council is retreating from its position that the current administration of the United States Cricket Association (USACA) is seriously dysfunctional in its management of US cricket. There are worrying signs that the ICC is backing down over a number of key issues in the face of determined resistance by the old USACA executive, led by Gladstone Dainty.

The ICC's strong position was first stated in a series of letters to Dainty, the USACA president, citing a series of failures on the part of the association, and that culminated in the cancellation of Project USA.

Subsequently, acting on a series of pleas from American cricketers, the ICC suspended all their payments to the USACA until the internal disputes were resolved. A key fact was that the ICC recommended arbitration between the warring factions, adding that the USA would not be allowed to participate in the ICC Trophy if the situation were not resolved.

But Dainty's executive refused arbitration, unless it was subject to New York state law, a condition which was never likely to be acceptable either to their opponents or the ICC. Sure enough, the ICC reported that Dainty had declined arbitration and withdrew the offer.

The selection of the USA squad for the ICC Trophy was also a major bone of contention. Dainty's board named a controversial side which was essentially the same group which performed so dismally in the Champions Trophy in England last September. Opponents claimed that this side was in no way representative, and again the ICC suggested a neutral selection committee, headed by Sir Julian Hunte. Under Sir Julian's urging, a conference call was arranged for representatives of all parties to see if a deal could be brokered. But it became clear there was going to be no agreement.

Talks soon broke down when the only offer on the table was for the Dainty squad to be sent to Ireland on the understanding that talks be held at a later date to address the issues at the heart of the dispute. But when opponents again raised the fundamental issues behind their refusal to acknowledge the squad as it stood, it is claimed that Dainty broke off the talks.

Throughout this process, it seemed to observers that the ICC was backing down at every step. In fairness, the ICC could not get directly involved, but after offering more than once to provide the mechanism to find a solution, it has been repeatedly snubbed.

So the main question now is whether the ICC is going to wash its hands of the whole matter and allow the Dainty-selected team to play in the ICC Trophy. That would represent a major blow to opponents of the Dainty-led board, but would also leave the ICC facing some very difficult questions.